Death toll in Japanese quake may exceed 10,000

HOUSTON (ICIS)--At least 10,000 may have died from the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami in Japan, according to the latest estimates reported on Sunday.

In addition, the magnitude of the earthquake has been raised to 9.0 from 8.9, the Telegraph reported.

The earthquake had cut power to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and back-up systems were subsequently knocked out, the Financial Times reported.

Fuel rods may have partially melted at two of the reactors, the Financial Times reported. Engineers were using seawater to cool down the No 1 and the No 3 reactors, and they may do the same for the No 2 reactor.

An explosion hit the No 1 reactor on Saturday, and engineers fear a similar explosion could happen at No 3, the Financial Times reported.

Estimates of the death toll have now reached 10,000, although the official count is 1,596, the Telegraph reported.